Ultrathin-layer chromatography plates comprising electrospun fibers and methods of making and using the same

Abstract

An ultrathin-layer chromatography plate including a stationary phase comprising electrospun nanofibers wherein at least about 50% of the nanofibers are oriented within 20° of a direction of alignment, and wherein the stationary phase has a thickness from about 10 μm to about 30 μm.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An ultrathin-layer chromatography plate including a stationary phase comprising electrospun nanofibers wherein at least about 50% of the nanofibers are oriented within 20° of a direction of alignment, and wherein the stationary phase has a thickness from about 10 μm to about 30 μm. 
     
     
         2 . The ultrathin-layer chromatography plate of  claim 1 , wherein the nanofibers comprise a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyacrylonitrile, polyvinyl alcohol, polyacrylamide, poly(methyl methacrylate), polyethylene oxide, polyvinylpyrrolidone, sodium polystyrene sulfonate, polyhydroxyalkanoate, polystyrene, SU-8 photoresist, nylon, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The ultrathin-layer chromatography plate of  claim 1 , wherein the nanofibers have an average diameter from about 250 nm to about 750 nm. 
     
     
         4 . The ultrathin-layer chromatography plate of  claim 1 , wherein the nanofibers have an average diameter from about 300 nm to about 500 nm. 
     
     
         5 . The ultrathin-layer chromatography plate of  claim 1  having an average effective pore radius from about 1.00 μm to about 2.00 μm. 
     
     
         6 . The ultrathin-layer chromatography plate of  claim 1  having a mobile phase velocity constant along the direction of alignment of at least one of the following:
 greater than about 0.150 cm 2 s −1  for heptane as mobile phase; 
 greater than about 0.050 cm 2 s −1  for a 50:50 mixture of acetone and water as mobile phase; and 
 greater than about 0.150 cm 2 s −1  for acetone as mobile phase. 
 
     
     
         7 . The ultrathin-layer chromatography plate of  claim 1 , wherein the stationary phase has a length and a width, and the thickness of the stationary phase is substantially consistent along its entire length and width. 
     
     
         8 . A method of making an ultrathin-layer chromatography plate including a stationary phase comprising electrospun nanofibers wherein at least about 50% of the nanofibers are oriented within 20° of a direction of alignment, the method comprising:
 rotating an electrospinning target having a substantially cylindrical structure; and 
 electrospinning a solution comprising a polymer to form the stationary phase comprising polymer nanofibers, the stationary phase having a thickness from about 10 μm to about 30 μm. 
 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein an external surface of the target is moving at a velocity of from about 1 m/s to about 50 m/s along the direction of alignment. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the target is rotating at about 250 rpm to about 2500 rpm. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the target is rotating at about 750 rpm to about 2000 rpm. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the electrospinning step is performed for a length of time from about 10 minutes to about 2 hours. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the electrospinning step is performed with at least one of the following:
 an applied voltage from about 1 kV to about 50 kV;   a flow rate of about 1 μL/min to about 100 μL/min; and   a distance from the electrospinning tip to target from about 1 cm to about 50 cm.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the nanofibers comprise a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyacrylonitrile, polyvinyl alcohol, polyacrylamide, poly(methyl methacrylate), polyethylene oxide, polyvinylpyrrolidone, sodium polystyrene sulfonate, polyhydroxyalkanoate, polystyrene, SU-8 photoresist, nylon, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the nanofibers have an average diameter from about 250 nm to about 750 nm. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the nanofibers have an average diameter from about 300 nm to about 500 nm. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the ultrathin-layer chromatography plate has an average effective pore radius from about 1.00 μm to about 2.00 μm 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the ultrathin-layer chromatography plate has a mobile phase velocity constant along the direction of alignment of at least one of the following:
 greater than about 0.150 cm 2 s −1  for heptane as mobile phase;   greater than about 0.050 cm 2 s −1  for a 50:50 mixture of acetone and water as mobile phase; and   greater than about 0.150 cm 2 s −1  for acetone as mobile phase.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the solution comprises about 1 wt % to about 50 wt % polymer. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the solution comprises about 5 wt % to about 20 wt % polymer.